


Unexpected

by bookl0ver



Series: Prompt Fills [10]
Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: Domestic, Domestic Fluff, Don't copy to another site, Fluff, M/M, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:40:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25906003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bookl0ver/pseuds/bookl0ver
Summary: A prompt fill for yasisworld - That was unexpected.
Relationships: Callum "Halfway" Highway/Ben Mitchell
Series: Prompt Fills [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1880095
Comments: 10
Kudos: 55





	Unexpected

**Author's Note:**

  * For [yasi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/yasi/gifts).



> Thanks for clicking! 
> 
> Warnings: Playful mentions of people being tied up and kidnapped. Nothing serious though. 
> 
> Enjoy!

That was unexpected, was Ben’s first thought as he took in the scene in the Beale living room. Callum had picked Lexi up after school and taken her home, everyone else too busy to make it. Ben had been worrying all day that Callum might resent having his daughter thrust upon him, giving up his afternoon off to look after her. He’d been watching the clock until he could make it home and relieve his boyfriend of his baby-sitting duties, mind churning through what could possibly go wrong. What if Lexi misbehaved and Callum didn’t know how to punish her? What if she didn’t want to spend the afternoon with Callum, felt like she was being palmed off? What if, what if, what if. 

So when he burst through the door full of trepidation he didn’t know what he’d expected, just that it wasn’t this. 

Callum was sat at the other end of the room, a scarf tied loosely around his wrists with one of Lexi’s tiaras on his head. Lexi herself was in the middle of a homemade obstacle course of some sort. Ian would go mad if he saw the way all of the dining chairs had been arranged, or Lexi in full Princess costume jumping from one to the other. 

“What’s going on here then?” Ben finally asked once he’d fully processed the scene in front of him. 

His daughter and boyfriend turned to look at him, Lexi nearly falling off the chair she’d just landed on, Callum quickly jumping from the sofa and steadying her. Ben felt his heart melt a bit as Callum quickly pulled on the scarf to tighten it so it wouldn’t slide from his wrists prematurely. Lexi turned to him with a scowl that could rival Ben’s on a bad day. 

“You’re meant to be kidnapped by the evil wizard Cal!” She whined, directing him back to the end of the sofa with a waggle of her finger. Obediently he sat back down, biting the inside of his cheek to try and stop himself from laughing. She turned back to Ben, face brightening. “I’m rescuing Prince Callum from the evil wizard Daddy!” She explained. 

“She’s got to get through his lair before she can save me,” Callum added with an amused grin at Ben. “My hero, right Princess Lexi?” 

Lexi nodded proudly and turned back to her obstacle course. Ben leaned against the wall and watched quietly, unable to control the way his stomach contracted and his fingers tingled with warmth as his boyfriend played happily with his daughter, encouraging her to rescue him. The smile gracing his cheeks was so wide his face hurt. 

Finally Lexi traipsed over the last of the chairs, and jumped into Callum’s lap with a loud declaration of “I’m here to rescue you, Prince Callum!” and tugged the scarf off of Callum’s wrists, waving it triumphantly. 

Callum grinned but reined it in enough to stay in character for Lexi and bowed his head at her. “Oh, thank you princess. How can I ever repay you?” 

Lexi pursed her lips in thought for a moment. “When I go to school tomorrow you have to carry me on your shoulders,” She decreed. 

Callum turned to Ben, who had moved into the room and quietly set about placing the chairs back where they belonged, not wanting to listen to Ian rant. At least, that’s how he would justify it. Obviously, it was nothing to do with the fact that happy years were pricking at his eyes at seeing his little self-made family together. “Ben?” At Callum’s voice Ben turned around, making sure to blink back the tears 

“Yeah babe? Oh sorry -" At the glare Lexi shot him he changed track. “Prince Callum?” 

Callum laughed at that, blushing. “Am I alright to take Lex school tomorrow, or do you and Lo have something already sorted?” 

Ben shrugged. “I’m taking her tomorrow, you’re more than welcome to come too babe. Give those mums something decent to look at at last.” He winked, grinning as that adorable blush coloured Callum’s ears. 

Lexi cheered, and Callum smiled up at her. “Looks like I’ll be giving you a ride in my special carriage Princess Lex.” 

“I’m gonna be taller than everyone else!” Lexi declared, rising from Callum’s lap to give her dad a hug. “Daddy, Callum’s gonna carry me to school tomorrow! I’m gonna touch the clouds.” 

“Yes you are madam,” Ben chuckled, holding his daughter close. “Callum’s taller than everyone isn’t he? You’ll be the biggest little girl anyone’s ever seen.” 

Lexi stayed cuddling him a bit longer, clearly having missed him. He hadn’t seen her since yesterday morning and privately he chastised himself for not popping in sooner but he’d been so busy. Finally, he let Lexi go, and glanced up to find Callum watching him with starry eyes full of awe, the softest smile on his face. 

“Can I borrow Prince Callum baby?” He asked, kneeling in front of Lexi.

“Why?” She demanded suspiciously, glancing back at her rescuee for a brief moment. 

“Well, I’d like him to cook dinner. Unless you want daddy to make it...” 

“No!” Lexi interrupted and both of the men burst out laughing at the horror in her voice, and the way she shot over to Callum. “You’re rescued Callum, you can go cook with daddy now.” Her tiny hand clasped around his and he was dragged over to the kitchen. 

“Thanks Lex,” Callum grinned, unable to keep the character up through his amusement, giving Lexi back her tiara and then disappearing behind the kitchen door to laugh openly. 

Ben gave Lexi a low bow and kissed her hand. “Thank you, princess,” He said softly. “Now, why don’t you get changed into your top and jeans for dinner baby, we don’t want to get this pretty dress dirty do we?” 

Lexi shook her head, kissing Ben’s cheek and trotting up the stairs to get changed. Ben joined Callum in the kitchen, his boyfriend already busy chopping things up and heating other things. Ben didn’t really know, his own cooking abilities started and ended with bash something in the oven for twenty minutes and hope for the best. 

“So, how is Prince Callum then? Should I start calling you your highness?” 

Callum turned to him with an eye roll and pulled him in for a quick kiss. “I’m alright. Me and Lex had fun. She’s definitely yours you know, couldn’t wait to tie me up.” 

It was lucky Ben had nothing in his mouth or he’d have choked at that comment. As it was he spluttered on the air in his lungs for a minute, Callum eventually slapping his back reassuringly. 

“You didn’t mind having her then?” Ben wanted to double check when he finally had his breath back. 

“Course not,” Callum cupped Ben’s face in his hands and brought him up for another kiss. The hours they’d been separated by work always felt like torture. “She’s a great kid Ben. Must take after her dad.” 

Red coloured Ben’s face and he pulled Callum close, burying his face in his shoulder, sighing with contentment when Callum wrapped his arms around him. Having this, Callum, Lexi, the relationship they’d all formed with one another was something he’d never dreamed he could have. 

But that’s what made it all so special, so beautiful, he mused as he nuzzled into Callum. It was all so unexpected. So perfectly unexpected.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! 
> 
> Please feel free to let me know what you think, comment and kudos are always welcome and appreciated. 
> 
> Have a great day!


End file.
